The 2013 M5 gets a new 4.4-liter, direct-injected, twin scroll, twin-turbocharged V8 (which BMW calls the S63Tu), a modified version of the power plant found in the X6 M and X5 M. This incarnation churns out 560-hp and 502 pound-feet of torque, with the maximum available between 1500 and 5750 rpm. Gone is the 500-horsepower V10 used in the 2010 M5.
A choice of transmissions is available: a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode. The latter replaces the previous generation's SMG sequential automated manual gearbox. The new powertrain, combined with weight savings and an automatic start/stop feature, help to achieve what BMW claims is an increased fuel efficiency of 30 percent. (The 2010 M5 is rated by the EPA at an abysmal 11 mpg City, 17 mpg Highway, or 13 mpg Combined.)
Weight is reduced on the 2013 M5 via new aluminum components and by bolting the rear suspension directly to the chassis, which in the previous generation was linked by bulky rubber subframe bushings. That said, the M5's curb weight is a beefy 4300 pounds, nearly 100 pounds heavier than a standard 5 Series with similar features. And unlike the standard 5 Series, the M5 loses the electric steering in favor of hydraulic, giving the driver a more connected feeling to the road.
Track-day junkies will like the cockpit-adjustable shocks and iron-and-aluminum brake rotors with heavier-duty six-piston calipers, riding inside 18- or 19-inch wheels. All in all, the M5 seems well-suited to take on the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and Cadillac CTS-V.
Inside, the 2013 BMW M5 is teeming with software and in-car connectivity. Purists may balk at BMW's high-tech solution for letting drivers hear the growl of their V8 engines without irking passersby: A digital signal processor translates data from the engine management system and reproduces engine noises through the car's six-speaker audio system. Translation? A fake engine sound coming through your radio. Still, if you're paying upwards of $100k for a high-performance sedan, you'd better hear something.
The 2013 BMW M5 is expected in dealerships by late summer. We won't know prices until it goes on sale, but we're guessing it will start around $92,000.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED (est): $97,000 (base price: $92,000)
ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 268 cu in, 4395 cc
Power: 560 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 502 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
Power: 560 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 502 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 116.7 in
Length: 193.3 in
Width: 74.4 in
Wheelbase: 116.7 in
Length: 193.3 in
Width: 74.4 in
Height: 57.3 in
Curb weight: 4300 lb
Curb weight: 4300 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 3.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 8.3 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 18.3 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 1.8 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 2.4 sec
¼-mile: 12.0 sec @ 122 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 155–190 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 165 ft
Zero to 60 mph: 3.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 8.3 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 18.3 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 1.8 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 2.4 sec
¼-mile: 12.0 sec @ 122 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 155–190 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 165 ft
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA fuel economy, city drivin
EPA fuel economy, city drivin